Finding new stuff to do with Max that doesn't involve spaghetti and car washes (neither obsession shows any sign of dwindling) can be a challenge. He's often wary and resistant, but Dave and I keep exposing him to new activities and places, because we want to help him push past his fear and open his mind. Also, we get bored.
What I'm realizing, though (special needs parent epiphany #28,716) is that what works best for Max is a mix of the familiar and the new. And so, we come to boat rides and hibachi.
This weekend, we took the kids on a boat on the Delaware River, the same one we we were on last summer. Actually, let me correct that: Max decided to take US on the boat. He remembered exactly where it was in New Hope, PA and scooted right down the path to the dock. His visual memory is just beyond; it's one of his special strengths.
The kids enjoyed feeding the ducks corn when they weren't wrestling each other to get the damn cups of corn. At one point, Sabrina grabbed Max's cup and dumped it into hers. At which point he tried to grab it back. At which point I was PSYCHED to see him using his hands like that, as dexterity is definitely not a special strength. Grab, Max, grab! Don't tell anyone I said that.
Max was a little dubious at first.
...and decided to drive the boat. He just ambled up to the captain and, without a word, held onto part of the wheel. Like he'd been driving boats all his life. Said captain was very nice.
The next thing you know, Max was practically sitting in the guy's lap. Pretty soon, he was helping to turn the boat around. Then he spied some kids on Jet Skis and decided he wanted one. We just sort of nodded. Then he did not want to get off the boat. Unlike the car wash, though, we weren't paying for a second ride. Because we are cheap killjoys like that.
For dinner, we tried hibachi. This entailed going to a restaurant Max had never been to before, which is always tricky territory as he's been known to run out of them, screeching, as if someone just served him spaghetti and slugs or something. We've learned to go to dinner really early, before normal humans eat. Like, 4:30 early. We were, of course, the only people there. Max was calm.
I had a feeling it was going to be a hit. A table with FIRE! And sure enough...
...he had a blast. Bonus feat of fine motor skills: He grasped tongs! Max loved cooking the chicken. He kept dumping rice into the dish, and the scorch-y smell wasn't entirely appetizing, but he sat through an entire meal. And did not catch fire, once. He didn't even try to get Sabrina to catch fire.
My conclusion is that we need more boat rides and hibachi in our life. Maybe you do too?
This is fantastic. Go Max go! Such a good reminder to step outside of our routines...you never know what new things might happen. ;-) We are going to try a hibachi place soon...this reminds me to get there at, say, 4pm. ;-) So happy that you guys had this wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteThat boat guy looks like Mel Gibson.
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity--why isn't anyone on that boat (especially Max) wearing a lifejacket?
ReplyDeleteAnthony: Personally, I think my husband more resembles Mel Gibson. :)
ReplyDeleteAimee, it's a very slow moving boat. That's no excuse, really, but Max is utterly resistant to wearing the vest and we don't insist.
Joanna: Wouldn't it be fun to all go to hibachi together?!
Yay for new experiences, glad Max had a good day!
ReplyDeleteI was watching some ridiculous show the other night (stupid insomnia) and saw a commercial for this and thought of Max:
http://www.orangeonions.com/product/64036/Wham-O-Slip-n-Slide-Splash-Car-Wash.html?META=CJ
Unfortunately it looks like it is sold out, but maybe you could find it somewhere else. Of course this might be encouraging the car wash obsession.........but hey everyone needs an obsession or two!
Awesome!! So glad Max enjoyed some new experiences.
ReplyDeleteI've seen that car wash online! Sadly, I think they are no longer making it. Oh, and we are all for enabling Max's obsessions in this house.
ReplyDeleteI think it's hilarious when I find myself encouraging "bad behavior" in my daughter when it's for a good cause. So I agree - grab that cup of corn and dump that rice to squeeze with tongs! You go, Max!
ReplyDeleteOh, I adore New Hope! *nostalgic sigh* Where is that hibachi place? It would be great to add a restaurant to our list of things to do next time we're in Jersey visiting my family... Plus, I've never seen a hibachi place where you, the customer, get to do the cooking! My kiddo *love love love adores* hibachi, and sadly, our favorite hibachi place here in town closed a few months ago. So now we only do hibachi when we're at Disney World (which isn't nearly as often as we'd all like LOL). Teppan Edo, the hibachi restaurant in the Japan pavilion at EPCOT, is delicious and very (as you might imagine) kid friendly.
ReplyDeleteHeather, the restaurant is called Mirim, it's actually in Langhorne, PA (not far from New Hope)! We visited Sesame Place after New Hope and although that area is usually devoid of decent places to eat, we discovered Mirim! As someone on Chowhound said, "It is truly a hidden gem in a dining wasteland."
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